Morning! Well have I got a treat for you. I have not one, not two, not three books… but four books from Storey Publishers to giveaway. I’m going to give them away as a bundle as I think anyone who likes one of them will like all of them. But first a little info on them and what I thought. READ MORE
I know, I know, this is SO boring. I want to eat syrupy, sugar laden treats all day long just like the next person, but I can’t. My skin gets angry and spotty and my bottom seems to miraculously increase in size. It’s all just deeply unfair but then that’s how life is. You can’t eat cake for every meal. Believe me, I’ve tried. READ MORE
Yes you heard me right. No rise cinnamon rolls. I love a cinnamon roll as much as the next person but my oh my are they a pain in the backside for taking an age to rise. Sweet enriched dough is slow to rise because the eggs and milk and butter act to stop the yeast from working as fast. And so, they do indeed have their place, and that place is for a long slow day when there’s nothing to do other than hang around the house prodding at sweet dough, peering under the clingfilm and willing it to hurry the hell up. READ MORE
I have two lovely things for you. One is this excellent recipe for halva jelly by Sumayya Usmani from Mountain Berries and Desert Spice (published by Frances Lincoln, an imprint of The Quarto Group). The other thing I have is a copy of this delightful book to giveaway. For details on how to get your mitts on the book scroll to the bottom of the post. READ MORE
These cheese straws are rather moody looking. Kind of designer straws. But they’re not in any way moody to eat. I can’t stress enough how much joy these bring. They take very little time to knock up, deliver lots of flavour and are a perfect snack for younger members of the family as well as being loved by the older red wine drinkers of the family. READ MORE
Cooking with my sons is pretty much my top activity for spending quality time together without spending a fortune. The geeky mother in me happily ticks off all the boxes it covers. Helping develop manual dexterity? Absolutely. Team working? Yes! Understanding nutrition and health? Of course. A sprinkling of science and maths? Got it covered. And instilling an enjoyment of good food and cooking? BIG tick. READ MORE
It’s my wedding anniversary this week and I have struggled with whether to address it, whether to write anything at all about what’s going on in my personal life. It feels a little too, well, personal. For one, I am scared of the commentary. I know divorce is very disappointing to people. It dashes their hopes, it increases their fears and it shines a light on any relationship problems of their own. READ MORE
I’m not going to mess about. I have stuff to do. The kids are at their Dad’s house over the Easter weekend so it is DIY central here. There’s a drain to unblock, a fence to erect, shelves to drill in and lino for a playhouse to buy. I have even painted the inside of the playhouse with rogue tester pots. Yes, I’m THAT kind of busy. READ MORE
Easter is calling and for me, I stick with tradition. It has to be lamb. But tradition only needs to reach so far.
This recipe combines the flavours released from dry roasting the spices with the more urgent heat from fresh chilli and ginger. The combination is a winner. And how long you cook the lamb is totally up to you. I am not one to dictate whether your lamb is pink and juicy or slow cooked and falling apart. READ MORE
Holly Bell 